Kate Hwang

As a Kansas City police officer, I had dedicated my life to service, it was my childhood dream to serve as a law enforcement officer and I was proud to serve in the line of duty. However, a standard traffic stop changed my world forever, as I was assaulted and sustained a front to back, closed head injury/traumatic brain injury (TBI) in the line of duty, which ultimately led to my early medical retirement from the KCPD.

At first, the effects of my TBI were invisible to most. I looked fine on the outside, but inside, I was struggling. The headaches, memory loss, cognitive fatigue, and emotional toll were relentless. Simple tasks became overwhelming. The person I had been—the strong, capable, independent officer—felt like a shell of a person in own skin. I didn’t just have to heal; I had to rebuild.

Recovery wasn’t linear. There were dark days when I questioned if I’d ever regain control, moments when frustration and grief threatened to consume me. But in those moments, I discovered something powerful: resilience. I refused to let my injury define me. Instead, I leaned into the challenge, searching for ways to adapt, to grow, and to find a new purpose beyond the badge.

Sports became my salvation. I found strength in movement, in pushing my body beyond what I thought was possible. I became an adaptive athlete, proving to myself that my injuries did not mean the end—they were the beginning of a new kind of strength. Competing in events like the Unbound Gravel 50, para track and field, and training for triathlons gave me a sense of control, a sense of self-worth that my injury had tried to strip away.

But more than anything, I found community. I realized I wasn’t alone in this fight. Other first responders, veterans, and individuals with TBIs were walking similar paths, each of us fighting battles that weren’t always visible to the world. I made it my mission to support them, to create spaces where adaptive athletes and TBI survivors could reclaim their power.

Today, as the founder of Adaptive Warrior KC, I work to ensure that individuals with disabilities have access to the resources, training, and support they need. My journey didn’t end with my injury—it ignited a new purpose. I stand here not as a victim of TBI but as a testament to what’s possible when we refuse to give up.

To anyone facing this journey: you are not alone. Your strength is greater than your struggle. And while our scars may be invisible, our resilience is undeniable.